Israel’s finance minister now governs the West Bank. Critics see steps toward permanent control

By ISABEL DEBRE
Associated Press

ASA’EL, West Bank (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has quietly taken steps toward cementing Israel’s control of the West Bank with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leading the way. Smotrich is a staunch supporter of Jewish settlements and has been granted new powers over settlement policy as part of his coalition agreement with Netanyahu. He has used this authority and moved swiftly to approve thousands of new settlement homes, legalize previously unauthorized wildcat outposts and make it more difficult for Palestinians to build homes and move about. Experts and officials say Smotrich’s policies have compounded Palestinian misery and emboldened violent settlers. Recent settlement expansion has also strained the Netanyahu government’s ties with the White House.